


White as Snow

by deviltakehimback



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 15:53:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7178489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deviltakehimback/pseuds/deviltakehimback
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: After 1.10 but Waverly works at Shorty's, and Nicole knows all about the Revenants. Nicole is a little more than plain old 'human'.</p><p>Some violence, which is within the same sort of levels as the show.<br/>TW: fire/burns, gunshots.</p>
            </blockquote>





	White as Snow

It's a Sunday morning, which means clean-up at Shorty's, and Waverly knows Nicole does not appreciate their morning being ruined by her job.

She internally swears she'll make it up to her, it's only one Sunday in four, and she'll get everything done in record time so they can enjoy the day together. 

She scrambles into her jeans and Shorty's crop top, and leaves Nicole's apartment, determined to get Shorty's back into its usual state of 'vaguely respectable'. She thinks she manages to slip out without waking her.

Nicole isn't fully awake, but she knows Waverly isn't next to her any more, which is as good as any alarm clock. She's pretty sure Waverly said she had work at 8am. She's not even slightly religious, but it still seems like blasphemy to work at that hour on a Sunday. Granted, she signed her soul away to being available 24/7 when she joined the force. The irony does not escape her, even in her post-sleep haze.

She rolls over and nestles into the pillow on the other side, breathing deeply and smelling the floral-scented fabric. The smell is distinctly Waverly's and smiles in her daze. She knows she won't be getting back to sleep.

 

\---------------

 

Waverly unlocks the door and steps into the dark, dank bar. As she expected, Shorty's is a mess. They don't fix it up on Saturdays any more because they'd be there until sunrise. Instead, one lucky sucker gets the night off, in exchange for the morning shift and a date with a mop. 

She wouldn't say it wasn't worth it; the previous night with Nicole was like heaven. They're not quite sure what to call themselves yet but they spent hours talking, interrupting themselves with some of the hottest make-out sessions Waverly has ever had. She got to know a lot more about Nicole's body than she had managed to dream of before. She shivers at the sensations flooding her memory. They didn't go all the way -- they both want to take things slow -- but it definitely went further than before. Turns out girls do dig scars. Right now, she just wants to run back to bed and pick up where they left off.

Except that she just cracked open the bleach and the beer stains aren't going to disappear on their own. She steels herself and pulls on a beaten-up pair of rubber gloves; this place is going to be spotless in no time and Officer Haught won't know what hit her.

 

\---------------

 

By 9.36am, the glasses are all clean, the bar and tables have all been wiped down, and there are two bags of trash ready to go (which include what's left of the glasses that she couldn't clean on account of them being smashed to pieces in various corners of the bar the previous night). The bathrooms have been... dealt with. Of all the great things that go along with working here, bathrooms duty is not one of them. Half the time, she just wants to take a flamethrower to the men's room and get everyone to go pee outside. It would probably be less gross. 

A quick knock at the door startles her, and she considers ignoring it. The bar doesn't open until 12, and she shouldn't have to deal with any customers today. She's mid-way through getting each of the stools flipped back onto the tables, and she has one more thing left to do and she's out of there; she doesn't need anyone interrupting her. 

"Waverly?"

The muffled call reaches her and she instantly feels like an ass for not getting the door sooner. Of course.

When she gets to the door, she fumbles with the lock and pulls it open. Nicole beams at her, holding up a brown paper bag and a thermos.

"I figured you didn't eat, so I brought breakfast. And cocoa, if you'd like some." Waverly is stunned. Nicole's wearing tight black jeans and Doc Martens. There's a dark green tank top hugging her chest, which, okay, but she's also wearing a black leather biker jacket with a gray zippy underneath. Her hair is tucked messily into a beanie that's the same shade of green as the tank top Waverly is pointedly not staring at.

When Waverly doesn't say words, Nicole's face drops and her posture changes.

"If you want, I can go. I shouldn't have come down, you've got work to do..."

"I'm sorry, I'm still not used to seeing you out of uniform! You look..." She hesitates. What is she allowed to say? Stunning? She is quite literally stunned. Gorgeous? Like I want to slam you against the door frame and kiss you senseless?

"...great!" She finally says, her lips spreading into a grin, and she motions for Nicole to step inside. She locks the door behind them and leads Nicole to one of the few freshly cleaned tables that don't have stools on them.

"You saw me in way less than this last night, and you didn't seem to mind." A smirk makes its way to Nicole's lips, which turns into a playful smile as they sit down across from each other. Their eyes meet across the table, and Nicole rips and unpacks the bag of pastries. 

"That doesn't change the fact that you continue to look amazing and in my defense, you are wearing really different clothes this morning and that includes _leather_ , so, you know - my reaction is valid."

"I don't doubt it."

Waverly makes a move for the thermos but Nicole swipes it away, obviously wanting payback for being woken so early on her day off.

"Nuh uh, you can't just take it. You have to ask nice."

Waverly pouts. 

"Pretty please?" 

Nicole shakes her head.

"It'll take more than that."

Waverly furrows her brow, wanting to indulge Nicole but also really wanting some hot cocoa now that she knows it's here. 

"Take off your jacket." She says, and she waits. Nicole obliges, largely due to the dark look in Waverly's eyes and really she doesn't think there's much she would refuse to do if that's how Waverly's going to look at her. Her zippy slides off with the jacket, and she rests it over the empty stool next to her.

Waverly takes Nicole's right hand and turns it so her palm is facing up, her arm resting on the tabletop. Nicole watches intently, confused.

Waverly places her index finger on Nicole's pulse point, and slowly drags her nail along her forearm, up to the crook of her elbow. 

"Please, Officer?"

Nicole lets out a quiet, contented sigh as she allows her eyes to slip shut, feeling her body respond to Waverly's movements. When she regains her composure and opens her eyes, Waverly's grin is triumphant as she unscrews the lid of the thermos. 

They keep quiet as they make their way through the few pastries and small pot of baby strawberries that Nicole brought along with her. The few looks they exchange are fleeting and nervous; Waverly is pleasantly surprised by the butterflies that have her heart pounding like this. They both spend the time remembering their previous night and trying not to mention it.

She can't leave without the floor being spotless, so once she swallows the last sip of her cocoa from their shared thermos cup, she excuses herself.  
"I kind of have to get back to this," she says, pointing vaguely towards the bar. 

"Do you mind if I stay?" Nicole asks, "I don't have any other plans today, but I'll figure something out if it's not okay for me to be here." She is deadly serious, but Waverly has no intention of making her leave.

"Stay. You can watch me get really gross trying to clean this disaster of a floor."

"I'm okay with seeing you sweat."

Waverly blushes, dipping her head so Nicole can't see. She used to have game, but there's something about Nicole and her eyes and her damn dimples that knocks Waverly off course.

 

\---------------

 

She's just about finished with the floor when they hear a bang outside the bar, which sounds remarkably like a gunshot. The mop stills in Waverly's hands and Nicole bolts off the stool, bringing herself closer to the door.

"Stay behind me," she says, staring into Waverly's eyes. Waverly nods, and her grip tightens on the wooden rod in her hands.  
As Nicole turns back to face the entrance, the main door is thrust violently inwards by something or someone outside. It's not quite torn off the hinges, but the lock is knocked clean out.

They hear his laughter before they see him. This Revenant has a shotgun and, by the looks of it, a bone to pick with Waverly.  
Nicole reaches for the gun at her waist, only to realise very quickly that she's not on duty. She keeps herself between the Revenant and Waverly. She knows he can't see her where she is, so she texts Wynonna. 

- _Revenant at shorty's, little help?_

Waverly can't see what's happening but Nicole has her hands up in front of her.

"Sir, put down the gun and nobody needs to get hurt."

"No siree, I can't do that. I can't touch Wynonna but this one ain't making it out of here alive."

"Try me," says Nicole.

Waverly hears the shot, feels the scream build in her throat, but Nicole's body doesn't move. She's hit enough things with shotguns to know that the target moves if the shot lands. Nicole is steady as a mountain. If Waverly wasn't somewhere on the way to the first stages of shock, she'd notice that the tips of Nicole's hair have started to glow, a dull white colour.

"Not today, sir."

Nicole steps forward, arms still outstretched, and makes a lunge for the barrel of the Revenant's gun. Her hand, glowing white as snow, grabs the end of the weapon and she pulls. The Revenant stumbles forward, all bark and no balance, as Nicole wrenches the gun from his hands and swings the butt up to hit him square in the chin. 

He falls backwards, but he steadies himself against the doorframe. 

"You can't kill me, girl."

"Oh yeah?" Nicole keeps her back to Waverly, and moves towards the undead. Instinct is all that guides her, with a thread of sheer terror underneath it all. The bravado is going well so far but she has no proof that this will work. 

It's always worth a try, right?

She steps into his personal space and his silence, his unwillingness to move, betray his fear. Even if she can't send him back to hell, he knows she can hurt him.  
She does not want to engage unless he makes a move first. That seems unlikely, so she drops her shoulders and tries to make herself look vulnerable. She lowers her hands slightly, shotgun still poised for use as a baseball bat. 

With a growl, he lunges forward, ducking to ram into Nicole's torso. He doesn't get that far. 

Tendrils of smoke trail from her fingertips as she swings the shotgun again, and it collides with the Revenant's temple. He loses his footing, and Nicole reaches for him, placing her left hand at the scruff of his neck. He howls in pain; where her skin touches his, his flesh begins to burn. She holds on, pushing him slowly to the ground. He knows he has no advantage, and he lies down fully with his arms outstretched.

With one knee on the floor, her left hand still scalding the Revenant's neck, Nicole slides the shotgun back across the floor to rest at Waverly's feet.  
"You've got about thirty seconds to make your peace, sir." Nicole speaks through clenched teeth. Through his groans, the Revenant manages to spit out a response.  
"If I can't kill the bitch, someone else will! You don't know what you're up against, you—"

Nicole has had enough. The insinuation that anybody would dare lay a hand on Waverly is enough to make her blood boil.

"I take it back; your time is up."

Nicole is pretty sure this isn't going to work, but with that she slams his head straight down onto the floorboards, knocking him out cold. By now, her hand has scorched through part of his neck. As she takes her hand away, a small puff of smoke rises, and she can see the burn marks on his skin begin to move. They spread, smoking gently, up to his hairline and down his back. Within seconds, the skin on his hands turns a darker shade and smoke tendrils lift from his shoes. Nicole stands up, backing away from his body.

Waverly has stepped forward to stand by her side, and they both watch the Revenant's body with equal parts fascination and horror. All at once, he goes up in flames. Nicole extends her arm and shields Waverly behind her, as they both take another few steps backwards.

Beneath the smoke that builds around him, Nicole can see the floor behind to burn and break apart. She's about to ask Waverly where the fire extinguisher is, but the Revenant begins to slip downwards into the floor, engulfed in flames. Nicole feels no heat from the fire.

 

\---------------

 

She blinks, finally turning to make sure Waverly is okay. Waverly is staring back at her, eyes flitting between Nicole and the patch of floor where the Revenant had been.

"Do you still wanna say you're not some sort of magical creature? You just killed a Revenant, which should not be possible. I mean, I've tried and so has Dolls and you have to be Wynonna or Willa and you have to use the gun so what the hell?"

Nicole opens her mouth to respond, but she doesn't know what to say. She isn't entirely sure what just happened. She notices Waverly glance at her hand, and she follows her gaze. Her hands are still glowing faintly, a clean white colour that cannot be explained away by her pale complexion. 

"I couldn't let him hurt you, Wave."

"Well okay," Waverly starts, "romantic notions aside, did you know you could do that?"

Nicole shakes her head. 

"I just did it. I knew what I had to do to keep you safe."

"Can unicorns usually set things on fire?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Anyway, your hands. They're like... they're like Peacemaker."

At the mention of the weapon, Wynonna strides into the bar with one gun blazing - only to realise that only Waverly and Nicole are there.

"Okay, worst prank ever. What's going on?"

Waverly and Nicole share a look, neither of them sure how to explain. Waverly speaks first. 

"So there was this Revenant guy and he busted in the door and said he was going to kill me because he can't kill _you_ and then Nicole basically kicked his ass and sent him back to hell?"

Wynonna looks confused but impressed.

"Care to explain, Officer Tank Top?"

"I'd love to, but that," she gestures vaguely towards the floor, "was pretty new for me. I don't think that would work again unless... unless Waverly were in danger."  
Wynonna stares at her, then at Waverly.

"Congrats on the guardian angel, Wave," she says. "I can't wait to tell Dolls about this. He's gonna flip."

Nicole starts to protest, but Wynonna cuts her off.

"It's premature, and Deputy Dolls might kill me for it... but welcome to the Black Badge Division, Officer."

With that, she turns on her heel and walks out of the bar into the late morning air, almost dropping Peacemaker as she slips it back into the holster.

Nicole doesn't speak. 

"Okay. So, my job here is done, floor is spick and span and there's no blood to clean up. And only the lock is broken so I feel pretty okay leaving this to someone else to deal with."

Waverly is still holding the shotgun in her right hand, hanging loosely by her side. With her left, she reaches for Nicole's right, which is still glowing faintly. Though Nicole knows her skin should burn to the touch, Waverly doesn't seem to be affected. 

"Grab your jacket, we're going back to your place."

"Okay? If you're sure." Nicole grabs her jacket and hoody from the stool with one hand, not wanting to break the hold Waverly has on her.

"So you don't think we're related right?"

"What? No, Jesus, I didn't use Peacemaker and I'm not even twenty-seven. This has to be something else."

"Great because I'm sweaty and gross and I need a shower and I was hoping I could use yours."

Waverly swings their hands between them as they make their way out the front door and pull it gently closed. 

Nicole smiles down at her, still reeling from whatever the hell she just did, and enjoying the feeling of their intertwined fingers.

"That's okay, I'll give you a spare towel and make lunch while you're in there." Nicole gallantly tries to ignore the thought of Waverly showering. She swallows hard. 

"You'll be back to normal in no time."

"What normal?" Waverly laughs, breathing in the fresh air, before dropping her voice.

"And you just kicked massive bad-guy ass, so who said I was showering alone?"

Nicole's cheeks flush, and her whole body temperature rises, all glowing white edges shifting to a dull pink before Waverly speaks again.

"Okay well actually I'd been planning that since I left this morning, but I'm not going to deny the added incentive in watching you swing this," she says, lifting the gun by her side, "and being generally super badass."

Nicole thinks she might be dreaming. 

Waverly knows she isn't.

She's had enough of almost dying. She might need to start carrying her own gun. For now, the gorgeous, tall, occasionally glowing woman of her dreams is walking her home after saving her life, and she has a few ideas about how to pay her back.


End file.
